Speaker Bio

John Clayton is Vice President, External Affairs at JTI based in Geneva. He leads the company’s global external engagement strategy with policy makers, business associations, and international organizations. Prior to joining JTI in 2025, John was based in Washington D.C, where he directed the global government affairs and communications activities for Elevation Capital, a venture capital firm with portfolio companies in consumer goods and natural health products in the United States and Canada. He spent nearly 20 years in the Corporate and Regulatory Affairs team at British American Tobacco with assignments in Tokyo, Montreal, and London, including five years as the Group’s Global Head of Government and External Affairs.   Born in Pennsylvania, John holds a Master Degree in East Asian Studies from Indiana University.